Environmental control system fluid sensing system and method
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring a thermal change fluid in an environmental control system, the method comprisingoperating a mechanical resonator in an environmental control system selected from heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, the environmental control system including a passage for a thermal change fluid, the mechanical resonator being a flexural resonator, a torsional resonator or a combination thereof,translating at least a portion of the resonator through the thermal change fluid, the thermal change fluid comprising R-134A refrigerant, a mineral oil, an ester lubricant or a mixture thereof, andmonitoring the response of the resonator to the thermal change fluid in the passage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring a fluid in an environmental control system includes a mechanical resonator positioned for contacting a thermal change fluid. In some embodiments, the mechanical resonator is positioned in a passage for containing the thermal change fluid. Suitable thermal change fluids include an R-134A refrigerant, a mineral oil, an ester lubricant or a mixture thereof; a superheated refrigerant; or an elevated pressure and elevated temperature vapor, an elevated pressure liquid, a reduced pressure liquid, a reduced pressure vapor and combinations thereof. The mechanical resonator can be a flexural resonator or a torsion resonator. In some embodiments, the mechanical resonator is a tuning fork resonator. Methods of the invention include monitoring a response of the mechanical resonator to the thermal change fluid. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the mechanical resonator is translated through the thermal change fluid and the response of the resonator to the fluid is monitored.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring a thermal change fluid in an environmental control system, the method comprising
operating a mechanical resonator in an environmental control system selected from heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, the environmental control system including a passage for a thermal change fluid, the mechanical resonator being a flexural resonator, a torsional resonator or a combination thereof, translating at least a portion of the resonator through the thermal change fluid, the thermal change fluid comprising R-134A refrigerant, a mineral oil, an ester lubricant or a mixture thereof, and monitoring the response of the resonator to the thermal change fluid in the passage.
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2. A method for monitoring a superheat condition of a refrigerant in an environmental control system, the method comprising
superheating a refrigerant in an environmental control system, and monitoring the superheated refrigerant with a mechanical resonator.
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4. A method for monitoring a fluid in an environmental control system, the method comprising
pressurizing and heating a reduced pressure vapor in an environmental control system to form an elevated pressure, elevated temperature vapor, condensing the elevated pressure, elevated temperature vapor to form an elevated pressure liquid, expanding the elevated pressure liquid to form a reduced pressure liquid, evaporating the reduced pressure liquid to form a reduced pressure vapor, and monitoring a fluid selected from one or more of the elevated pressure, elevated temperature vapor, the elevated pressure liquid, the reduced pressure liquid, the reduced pressure vapor and combinations thereof, the fluid being monitored with a mechanical resonator.
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20. An environmental control system selected from heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, the system comprising
a passage containing a thermal change fluid, the thermal change fluid comprising R-134A refrigerant, a mineral oil, an ester lubricant or a mixture thereof, at least one mechanical resonator for relative translation with the thermal change fluid, the mechanical resonator being a flexural resonator, a torsional resonator or a combination thereof, and a circuit for monitoring a response of the resonator to the thermal change fluid.
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26. A superheat monitoring system for use in an environmental control system comprising a refrigerant, the system comprising
at least one mechanical resonator for contacting a superheated refrigerant in the environmental control system, and a circuit for monitoring a response of the resonator to the superheated refrigerant, the monitoring circuit comprising a processing unit adapted to receive a signal from the resonator, the processing unit being programmed with an algorithm for monitoring the superheat condition of a fluid in the system.
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29. An environmental control system, comprising
a compressor for compressing a reduced pressure vapor to form an elevated pressure, elevated temperature vapor, a condenser for removing heat from and condensing the elevated pressure, elevated temperature vapor to form an elevated pressure liquid, an expansion device for reducing the pressure of the elevated pressure liquid to form a reduced pressure liquid, an evaporator for evaporating the reduced pressure liquid to form the reduced pressure vapor, at least one passage for containing a refrigerant, the refrigerant comprising a fluid selected from one or more of the elevated pressure, elevated temperature vapor, the elevated pressure liquid, the reduced pressure liquid, the reduced pressure vapor, and combinations thereof, a mechanical resonator positioned to contact the refrigerant in the passage, and a circuit for monitoring the response of the resonator to the refrigerant in the passage.
Specification